Marr, 8th Oct 2015: "It's a shame The Smiths aren't on better terms (with each other)"

Re: Marr, 8th Oct 2015: "It's a shame The Smiths aren't on better terms [with each other]"

Johnny Marr was interviewed on Granada Reports (North West England news program) about his current tour and new live album.

http://www.itv.com/news/granada/2015-10-08/johnny-marr-i-only-get-nerves-in-manchester

He’s asked, of course, about reforming The Smiths. To the reporter's credit, he gives it more of a spin by asking if he’s jealous of similar acts reforming, such as The Stone Roses.

The question starts around 8:20 and ends with Marr saying…

"It's a shame The Smiths aren't on better terms [with each other], but that's bands for you…”

Seems like an olive branch of sorts. Interesting. It's a damn shame they can't just bury the hatchet after all these years.

is it a shame them not being friends or not reforming because i dont think its just a matter of getting along that would have them reform the smiths. if its just about friendship, the olive branch, then thats pretty cool but if its an olive branch to reuniting then it just seems like weve heard it before. as to reforming, moz just doesnt want to and johnny seems to want desire it. nothing wrong either way with eithers desire but friends or not its just not gonna happen. if you were there then lucky you, thats what makes it special. does he talk about his next solo album and what he wants to do with that. playland seemed different than the messenger and i wonder if the next one will be different still or as synthesis of the two. maybe hell start another band of equals but unknowns
 
Re: Marr, 8th Oct 2015: "It's a shame The Smiths aren't on better terms [with each other]"

Don't know who leaked the demos bootleg, but it was probably a rogue A&R person or collector rather than an ex-Smith.

If only a like-minded rogue would see fit to leak the Miraval sessions or the Maladjusted outtakes. Those are a list of the lost worth releasing unedited.
 
Re: Marr, 8th Oct 2015: "It's a shame The Smiths aren't on better terms [with each other]"

It was originally planned to release Smiths singles boxsets in 2 volumes, The Sound of the Smiths, remasters and seemingly quite extensive unreleased material - possibly a boxset and album re-releases with bonus discs. Morrissey and Marr were working together on this, but before anything was released Morrissey pulled out and tried to get his lawyers to put a stop to the whole thing. They weren't able to stop re-releases, which Warners had a clear legal right to put out, but it made releasing archive stuff impossible. The reason Morrissey did this is almost certainly that Warners received a writ instructing them to divert part of the proceeds of the project, along with proceeds from the Hollwood live DVD, in order to pay the money to Mike Joyce that Morrissey still owed at that time, and Warners had told Morrissey that, no, they weren't willing to just ignore it. The fact that Johnny continued to co-operate with Warners on what became the Complete boxset is the reason why he and Morrissey no longer talk.

Don't know who leaked the demos bootleg, but it was probably a rogue A&R person or collector rather than an ex-Smith. The release seems to form part of a series with the Morrissey demos LP and the Wolverhampton LP. There's no reason Johnny, Andy or Mike would have access to Morrissey solo rarities or be interested in getting them released. Morrissey, on the other hand, would probably not be interested in making the Wolverhampton gig public, given how it starts so badly.

That all sounds very plausible and answers my earlier quesiton around why the 2 aren't even on cordial terms anymore. Such a shame that Morrissey's achilles heal in the form of a) money and b) Mike Joyce should sour what could have led to a reformation of sorts. If I'm not mistaken, Stephen Street was around when Johnny was doing some of the re-mastering so it's possible that 3 key players in the Smiths story could have been working together again for a short period of time which may have led on to something bigger - such a shame.
 
Re: Marr, 8th Oct 2015: "It's a shame The Smiths aren't on better terms [with each other]"

It was originally planned to release Smiths singles boxsets in 2 volumes, The Sound of the Smiths, remasters and seemingly quite extensive unreleased material - possibly a boxset and album re-releases with bonus discs. Morrissey and Marr were working together on this, but before anything was released Morrissey pulled out and tried to get his lawyers to put a stop to the whole thing. They weren't able to stop re-releases, which Warners had a clear legal right to put out, but it made releasing archive stuff impossible. The reason Morrissey did this is almost certainly that Warners received a writ instructing them to divert part of the proceeds of the project, along with proceeds from the Hollwood live DVD, in order to pay the money to Mike Joyce that Morrissey still owed at that time, and Warners had told Morrissey that, no, they weren't willing to just ignore it. The fact that Johnny continued to co-operate with Warners on what became the Complete boxset is the reason why he and Morrissey no longer talk.

It's a shame really. I know he thinks he is right, but by dragging things out with Joyce and refusing to pay, he's undoubtedly ended up causing himself more emotional grief as he fights off lawyers at ever turn, with his Mum's house being blocked for sale, diverted royalty streams, etc. In another alternate universe, Morrissey did the same as Johnny on losing the court case - say "f*** it", pay the guy off, get super angry for a couple of months, and then get the f*** over it.

We'd have also had those Smiths rarities released, and Morrissey would still be super rich from all the money he's raked in as a solo performer.
 
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johnny marr morrissey reform relationship the smiths

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